Chef cooks up spot in semi-finals

David Sedgwick

A school superchef is cooking up a storm as he goes one step closer to national stardom.

Simon Rawle, from North Tyneside Council’s catering team and based at Churchill Community College in Wallsend, beat off stiff competition to make it through to the semi-finals of the Big School Bake Off.

The competition requires contestants to create a dessert or snack that is both healthy and appealing to children.

And Simon impressed judges from The Children’s Food Trust, LCA and Unilever Food Solutions with his sticky banoffee pudding recipe.

Simon will compete against nine other cooks during the semi-finals where the judges will look for flair, creativity and technical ability.

He will have 90 minutes to cook his sublime recipe, which includes bananas and dates.

The eight highest scoring semi-finalists on the day will compete at the grand final in September.

Mayor North Tyneside Norma Redfearn said: “I’m absolutely thrilled that Simon has done so well in this national competition and we will all be cheering him on in the next round when he makes his wonderful sticky banoffee pudding.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all our school chefs who do such a fantastic job day in, day out, producing delicious meals on a tight budget for our young people.”

Churchill Community College’s headteacher David Baldwin added: “I am so proud of Simon. He is an excellent chef who is always ready to go that extra mile in the service of our young people.”